This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say."
I thought of that quote the other day when I read Salt Lake County Councilmember, Richard Snelgrove's letter to the editor ("We can do this," Aug. 8). Councilman Snelgrove praised Mayor McAdam's homeless initiative and took partial credit for its progress, stating, "I have been personally involved in this effort, which remains among my top priorities as an elected official."
I find it curious that Mr. Snelgrove claims to have been a champion of the homelessness initiative, given that he voted "No" to continue the jail bond — the very program that created part of the funding stream for the initiative. In fact, he was the sole councilmember (from both sides of the aisle) to have voted "No."
Homelessness has become an increasingly serious issue in our community. Anyone who sees the crisis-like situation taking place in the Rio Grande area of downtown Salt Lake City — and other areas of our county — knows this. A serious community problem like this needs sound solutions like Mayor McAdam's plan, and a dedicated County Council willing to provide necessary resources. What is doesn't need is Councilman Snelgrove's political posturing.
Ashley Hoopes
Salt Lake City